Divine Providence and Chance

Also: Fortune, Sagacity, Prudence

AC 6485. I
have conversed with good spirits about the Divine Providence and about man's own sagacity,
and by means of a representation familiar among them they showed me about this matter,
namely, by dust scattered and rare in the atmosphere. They said that relatively to the
Divine Providence man's own sagacity is like that speck of dust in comparison with the
universal atmosphere, and which is relatively nothing and falls to the ground. They added
that those who attribute all things to their own sagacity are like those who wander in
dark forests, not knowing the way out, and if they find it they attribute it either to
their own sagacity or to fortune. The angels said further that all accidents are of
Providence, and that for many reasons Providence acts silently and secretly; and that if
it acted openly, man could not possibly be reformed.

Here are various answers one can give to the
fundamental question of who or what controls the events of the world and of our lives.

1. The interactionist point of view says that each
event has a multiplicity of causes. To some extent it is due to natural laws in the
environment, and to some extent to human decision. Some people add God or divine
providence as an additional factor under certain conditions.

This point of view includes atheists, agnostics,
humanists, spiritists, theosophists, cultists, and churchgoers who do not believe in a
personal God, in contrast to the traditional religious point of view (number 2 below). The
materialists and the humanist transcendentalists both put the locus of control in humans,
and not at all in Divine intervention. The materialists, because they deny the existence
of the Divine; the transcendentalists, because they define the Divine or the spiritual in
non-personal terms (for example, "God is not a person").

2. The traditional religious point of view asserts
God's Omnipotence, Omniscience, and Omnipresence, hence by faith, accept God's hand in
every event. The incidents and accidents that make up our individual unique biographies
are woven together by God to serve His purposes and His ways (in other words, "God is
a Divine Person").

Within this tradition there are varieties of views
with regards to the extent of God's personal involvement. There are those who believe that
God has created intermediary forces such as nature, and good and evil influences. We are
subject to these forces and it is up to us to gain power over them. At the same time, they
believe that God can intervene at any time, given the appropriate circumstances. For
example, there is the widespread belief that God lets things run their course but may
decide to intervene as a result of someone's special prayer request.

3. The Swedenborgian or rational religious point of
view presupposes God's personal and direct intervention in the smallest of events. No
event can occur except through God's direct and continuous creation, supervision, and
continuation. This includes the motion of atomic particles, the events and accidents of
history, or the sequence of thoughts and feelings of an individual from birth to eternity.
Thus, by definition, if it is something, then it is being managed by God. Thus,
omnipotence is not merely the power to intervene anytime anywhere; it is also the
continuous creation or management of every single event.

Note that this point of view is both rational and
religious. It is rational because it leaves nothing out of the chain of causation. There
are no blind events, or events unforeseen by God, or unmanaged. The whole, and each of its
single elements, is managed by One Omnipotent Divine Person. This Person is God.

According to this rational religious perspective, our
responsibility lies not in the outcome of events and decisions, for this is managed by
God. Rather, our ethics, morals, and faith lie in our intentions: these are from God, when
good, and from self, when evil. In other words, when we choose good we receive spiritual
benefits not for being good (since only God is good), but for choosing good when we could
have chosen bad. Choosing good does not make us good; it only allows us to benefit from it
spiritually. To benefit spiritually means that we become happier, more loving and wiser
individuals.

God maintains in the mind of everyone, an impression
of selfhood and freedom. Thus, our choices in taste, preference, and style are really our
own, hence, we reap the spiritual consequences. Our choices are our own when we are
allowed to be free. Coerced choices are not spiritually harmful or beneficial. Free
choices follow our loves. What we choose in freedom from love is spiritually significant
and remains with us forever.

To summarize:

There are three types of answers possible to the
question of who or what controls events in the world. First, is the interactionist view.
This says that events are the outcome of multiple factors, such as, nature, human
decision, and possibly, spiritual (pantheistic) forces. Second, is the traditional
religious view. This affirms an omnipotent personal God who can intervene anytime,
depending on circumstances. Third, is the rational religious, or Swedenborgian, point of
view. This says that no event can occur without God's direct, and personal creation and
supervision; this includes the sequence of our thoughts and feelings, but not our free
choices made from one's loves or affections. These are not created by God but by the
individual. Everything is managed by God, including our thoughts and feelings, but not our
choices or intentions. Choices for good create a regenerated character which intends well
and thinks wisely. Choices for bad create an evil selfish character which is unwise and
delights in the demise of others.

70. THERE ARE LAWS OF THE DIVINEPROVIDENCE, AND THESE ARE UNKNOWN TO MEN

It is well known that there is a DivineProvidence, but it is not known
what its nature is. This is not known because the laws of the DivineProvidence are interior truths, hitherto concealed within the
wisdom of the angels; but they are now to be revealed in order that what belongs to the
Lord may be ascribed to Him, and what does not belong to man may not be ascribed to any
man. For very many in the world attribute all things to themselves and their own prudence;
and what they cannot so ascribe they call accidental or happening by chance,
not knowing that human prudence is nothing and that accidental and happening by chance are empty words.

[2] It is said that the laws of the DivineProvidence are interior truths,
hitherto concealed within the wisdom of the angels. This is because in the Christian
world, as far as religion is concerned (ex religione), the understanding has been closed
in respect to Divine things, and consequently has become in
such things so dull and resisting that man has not been able because he has not been
willing, or has not been willing because he has not been able, to understand anything
about the DivineProvidence
except the fact that it exists, and to reason whether it exists or not, and also whether
it is only universal or also particular. When, so far as religion is concerned, the
understanding has been closed in respect to Divine things, it
could advance no further.

[3] Since it has been acknowledged in the Church that
man is unable from himself to do good that is in itself good, and is unable from himself
to think truth that is in itself truth, and since these are one with the DivineProvidence so that belief in
one depends on belief in the other, therefore, lest one be affirmed and the other be
denied and thus both perish, it must be explicitly revealed what the DivineProvidence is. This, however, cannot be revealed unless the
laws are disclosed by which the Lord provides and rules the things of man's will and
understanding; for these laws enable man to know the nature of the DivineProvidence; and only he who knows its nature can acknowledge
it, for in this case he sees it. For this reason the laws of the DivineProvidence, hitherto concealed within the wisdom of the
angels, are now revealed.

Divine Providence 71.

71. 1. IT IS A LAW OF THE DIVINEPROVIDENCE THAT MAN SHOULD ACT FROM FREEDOM ACCORDING TO
REASON.

It is well known that man has the freedom of thinking
and willing as he pleases, but not the freedom to say whatever he thinks and to do
whatever he wills. Therefore the freedom that is here meant is spiritual freedom, and not
natural freedom, except when the two make one; for thinking and willing are spiritual but
speaking and doing are natural. Moreover, these are clearly distinguished in man; for a
man can think what he does not speak, and can will what he does not do. From this it is
clear that the spiritual and the natural in man are discriminated, so that he cannot pass
from one to the other unless by an act of determination. This determination may be
compared to a door, which must first be unfastened and then opened, a door which stands
open as it were in those who think and will from reason in accordance with the civil laws
of the state and the moral laws of society; for they say what they think and do what they
will; but a door which stands closed as it were in those who think and will in opposition
to those laws. He who pays attention to what he wills and to his consequent actions will
observe that such determination takes place, sometimes frequently in a single conversation
and in a single action. These things have been stated at this point to make it clear that
by acting from freedom according to reason is meant to think and will and thence to speak
and do freely what is in accordance with reason.

Divine Providence 72.

72. But as few know that this can be a law of the DivineProvidence, chiefly because man
has thus freedom also to think evil and falsity, although the DivineProvidence is continually leading man to think and to will
what is good and true, therefore, that this may be clearly perceived it will be set forth
distinctly step by step in the following order:

I. Man has reason and freedom, or rationality and
liberty; and these two faculties are from the Lord in man.

II. Whatever a man does from freedom, whether it be
of reason or not, provided it is according to his reason, appears to him to be his own.

III. Whatever a man does from freedom according to
his thought, is appropriated to him as his own, and remains with him.

IV. It is by means of these two faculties
(rationality and liberty) that man is reformed and regenerated by the Lord; and without
them he cannot be reformed and regenerated.

V. By means of these two faculties man can be so far
reformed and regenerated as he can be led by means of them to acknowledge that everything
true and good that he thinks and does is from the Lord, and not from himself.

VI. The conjunction of the Lord with man, and the
reciprocal conjunction of man with the Lord, are effected by means of these two faculties.

VII. The Lord preserves these two faculties in man
unimpaired and as sacred in every step of His DivineProvidence.

VIII. Therefore it is of the DivineProvidence that man should act from freedom according to
reason.

Divine Providence 175.

175. 5. IT IS A LAW OF THE DIVINEPROVIDENCE THAT MAN SHOULD NOT PERCEIVE AND FEEL ANYTHING OF
THE OPERATION OF THE DIVINEPROVIDENCE,
BUT STILL THAT HE SHOULD KNOW AND ACKNOWLEDGE IT.

The natural man who does not believe in DivineProvidence thinks within
himself, "What is DivineProvidence
when the wicked are advanced to honors and acquire wealth more than the good, and when
many such things fall to those who do not believe in a DivineProvidence beyond the lot of those who do? Indeed, the
unbelieving and the impious can inflict injuries, loss, misfortunes, and sometimes death,
upon the believing and the pious, and this by cunning and malice." Therefore he
thinks, "Do I not see from actual experience as in clear daylight that crafty
devices, if only a man by skillful cunning can make them appear to be trustworthy and
just, prevail over fidelity and justice? What, then, is left but necessities, consequences
and things of chance, in which nothing of DivineProvidence appears? Do not
necessities belong to nature? Are not consequences causes flowing out from natural or
civil order? And do not things of chance come from causes
which are not known, or from no cause at all?" Such are the thoughts of the natural
man who ascribes nothing to God but all things to nature; for he that attributes nothing
to God attributes nothing to the DivineProvidence,
since God and the DivineProvidence
make one.

[2] The spiritual man, on the other hand, speaks and
thinks within himself quite differently. Although he has no perception in his thought, and
is not sensible by his eyesight, of the DivineProvidence in its course, still he knows and acknowledges it. Now
since the appearances and consequent fallacies mentioned above have blinded the
understanding, and this can receive no sight unless the fallacies which induced the
blindness and the falsities which induced the darkness are dispelled, and since this
cannot be done except by truths which have in them the power of dispelling falsities,
therefore these truths shall be disclosed; and for the sake of distinctness this shall be
done in the following order:

I. If a man perceived and felt the operation of the DivineProvidence he would not act
from freedom according to reason; nor would anything appear to him to be as from himself.
It would be the same if he foreknew events.

II. If man saw clearly the DivineProvidence he would interpose in the order and tenor of its
course, and would pervert and destroy that order.

III. If man saw clearly the DivineProvidence he would either deny God or make himself God.

IV. It is granted to man to see the DivineProvidence in the back and not
in the face; and this in a spiritual state and not in a natural state.

Divine Providence 176.

176. I. IF A MAN PERCEIVED AND FELT THE OPERATION OF
THE DIVINEPROVIDENCE HE WOULD
NOT ACT FROM FREEDOM ACCORDING TO REASON; NOR WOULD ANYTHING APPEAR TO HIM TO BE AS FROM
HIMSELF. IT WOULD BE THE SAME IF HE FOREKNEW EVENTS. It has been duly made clear to the
understanding in the above articles that it is a law of the DivineProvidence that man should act from freedom according to
reason; also that everything a man wills, thinks, speaks and does should appear to him as
of himself; and that without this appearance no man would have anything of his own, nor
would he be a man in his own right. Therefore he would have no proprium; and so there
would be no imputation to him, without which it would be a matter of indifference whether
he did evil or good, and whether he had the faith of God or the persuasion of hell; in a
word, he would not be a man.

[2] It will now be shown that a man would have no
liberty to act according to reason, and that nothing would appear to him to be as from
himself if he perceived and felt the operation of the DivineProvidence; since, if he perceived and felt it, he would also be
led by it. For the Lord leads all by means of His DivineProvidence, and it is only an appearance that a man leads himself,
as was also shown above. Therefore, if a man had a lively perception and feeling of being
led he would not be conscious of life: and he would then be moved to utter sounds and to
act much like a graven image. If he were still conscious of life he would be led like one
bound hand and foot, or like a beast of burden yoked to a cart. Who does not see that a
man would then have no freedom? If he had no freedom he would have no reason, for everyone
thinks from freedom and in freedom; and whatever he does not think from freedom and in
freedom appears to him to be not from himself but from another. Indeed, if you consider
this interiorly you will perceive that he would have no thought, still less any reason;
and consequently he would not be a man.

Divine Providence 177.

177. It is the continual operation of the DivineProvidence of the Lord to
withdraw man from evils. If anyone were to perceive and feel this continual operation, and
yet were not led as one bound, would he not continually struggle against it, and thus
either dispute with God or mingle self with the DivineProvidence? If he did the latter he would make himself also God; if
the former he would release himself from restraint and deny God. It is very evident that
there would then be two powers continually acting against each other, the power of evil
from man and the power of good from the Lord; and when two opposites act against each
other then either one conquers or both perish. In this case if one conquers they both
perish; for the evil that belongs to man does not receive good from the Lord in a moment,
nor does good from the Lord cast out the evil from man in a moment; for if either were
done in a moment no life would be left to man. These and many other harmful results would
follow if man were manifestly to perceive or feel the operation of the DivineProvidence. But this will be
clearly demonstrated by examples in what follows.

Divine Providence 178.

178. Man is not granted a knowledge of future events,
also for the reason that he may be able to act from freedom according to reason; for it is
well known that a man desires to have in effect whatever he loves, and he leads himself to
this end by his reason. It is also known that everything a man meditates in his reason
arises from the love of bringing it into effect by means of his thought. Therefore, if he
knew the effect or result from Divine prediction his reason
would come to rest, and with it his love; for love with reason comes to an end in the
effect, and from that point it begins anew. It is the very delight of reason to see from
love the effect in thought not the effect in its attainment, but before it, that is, not
in the present but in the future. Hence man has what is called Hope, which increases and
decreases in the reason as he sees or looks forward to the event. This delight is
completed in the event, but it thereafter fades away with the thought concerning the
event. It would be similar in the case of an event that was foreknown.

[2] The mind of man is continually in these three
things, called end, cause, and effect. If one of these is wanting the human mind is not in
its life. The affection of the will is the originating end (a quo); the thought of the
understanding is the operative cause (per quam); and the action of the body, as the speech
of the mouth, or external sensation, is the effect of the end by means of the thought. It
is clear to anyone that the human mind is not in its life when it is in nothing beyond the
affection of the will, and similarly when it is only in the effect. Therefore, the mind
has no life from one of these separately, but only from the three conjointly. This
activity of the mind would diminish and pass away if the event were foretold.

Divine Providence 179.

179. As a foreknowledge of future events destroys the
human itself, which is to act from freedom according to reason, therefore it is not
granted to anyone to know the future; but everyone is permitted to form conclusions
concerning future events from the reason; hence reason with all that pertains to it enters
into man's life. It is on this account that a man does not know his lot after death, or
know of any event before he is involved in it. For if he knew this, he would no longer
think from his interior self how he should act or how he should live in order to meet the
event; but he would only think from his exterior self that he was meeting it. Now this
state closes the interiors of his mind in which the two faculties of his life, liberty and
rationality, especially reside. A longing to know the future is innate with most people;
but this longing derives its origin from the love of evil. It is therefore taken away from
those who believe in the DivineProvidence;
and there is given them a trust that the Lord is disposing their lot. Consequently they do
not desire to know it beforehand lest they should in any way set themselves against the DivineProvidence. This the Lord
teaches by many passages in Luke xii. 14-48.

[2] That this is a law of the DivineProvidence may be confirmed by many things from the spiritual
world. Most persons when they enter that world after death desire to know their lot. They
are told that if they have lived well their lot is in heaven, and if they have lived
wickedly it is in hell. But as all, even the wicked, fear hell, they ask what they should
do and what they should believe to enter heaven. They are told that they may do and
believe as they will; but that they should know that in hell good is not done and truth is
not believed, but only in heaven. To each one the answer is: "Seek out what is good
and what is true; then think the truth and do the good, if you are able." So in the
spiritual world as in the natural world all are left to act from freedom according to
reason; but as they have acted in this world so do they act in the spiritual world. His
own life awaits everyone and consequently his own lot, for the lot pertains to the life.

Divine Providence 180.

180. II. IF A MAN SAW CLEARLY THE DIVINEPROVIDENCE HE WOULD INTERPOSE
IN THE ORDER AND TENOR OF ITS COURSE, AND WOULD PERVERT AND DESTROY THAT ORDER. In order
that this may come within the clear perception of the rational man and also of the natural
man it may be illustrated by examples and in this order:

1. There is such a connection between external and
internal things that they make one in every operation.

2. Man is associated with the Lord only in certain
externals; and if he were at the same time in internals he would pervert and destroy the
whole order and tenor of the course of the DivineProvidence;

but as has just been said, it will be illustrated by
examples.

[2] First: There is such a connection between
external and internal things that they make one in every operation. This will be
illustrated here by examples taken from several parts of the human body. In the whole body
and in every part there are both externals and internals; its externals are called skins,
membranes, and sheaths (or coverings); while the internals are forms variously composed
and interwoven of nerve fibers and blood vessels. The surrounding sheath by offshoots from
itself enters into all the interiors even to the inmost parts; and thus the external,
which is a sheath, unites itself with all the internals, which are organic forms composed
from fibers and vessels. From this it follows that as the external acts or is acted upon
so the internals act or are acted upon; for there is a continuous binding together of them
all.

[3] Take some common sheath in the body, the pleura
for example which is the common sheath of the chest, or of the heart and lungs, and
examine it with an anatomical eye; or if you have not made a study of anatomy, consult
anatomists. You will learn that this common sheath, by various circumvolutions, and then
by continuations from itself becoming finer and finer, enters into the innermost parts of
the lungs, even into the tiniest bronchial branches and into the very minute sacs which
are the beginnings of the lungs; not to mention its subsequent progress through the
trachea to the larynx towards the tongue. From these things it is clear that there is a
continuous connection between the outer-most things and the inmost. Therefore, just as the
outermost acts or is acted upon so also the interiors from the inmost things act or are
acted upon. This is the reason that, when this outermost sheath, the pleura, becomes
congested or inflamed or ulcerated, the lungs labor from their inmost parts; and if the
disease grows worse, all action of the lungs ceases and the man dies.

[4] It is the same everywhere else in the whole body;
as with the peritoneum, the common sheath covering all the abdominal viscera, and also
with the sheaths surrounding the several organs as the stomach, the liver, the pancreas,
the spleen, the intestines, the mesentery, the kidneys, and the organs of generation in
both sexes. Take any one of these viscera, and either examine it yourself and you will
see, or consult those skilled in this science and you will learn. Take for instance the
liver, and you will find that there is a connection between the peritoneum and the sheath
of that organ and through the sheath with its inmost parts; for there are continual
extensions from the sheath, and insertions towards the interior parts, and in this way
continuations to the inmost parts. Hence there is a binding together of the whole so that
when the sheath acts or is acted upon the whole form acts or is acted upon in like manner.
It is the same with the rest of the organs, because in every form the general and the
particular, or the universal and the singular, by wonderful conjunction act as one.

[5] It will be seen below that in spiritual forms and
in the changes and variations of their state, which have relation to the operations of the
will and the understanding, the same course is followed as in natural forms and in their
operations, which have relation to motion and action. Now since man is associated with the
Lord in certain external operations, and since no one is deprived of the liberty of acting
according to reason, it follows that the Lord can only act in internals as He acts
together with man in externals. Therefore, if man does not shun and turn away from evils
as sins, the external of his thought and will and at the same time the internal become
vitiated and are destroyed, comparatively as the pleura is affected by its disease called
pleurisy, which causes the death of the body.

[6] Second: If man were at the same time in internals
he would pervert and destroy the whole order and tenor of the DivineProvidence. This also may be illustrated by examples from the
human body. If man knew all the workings of both brains into the fibers, of the fibbers
into the muscles, and of the muscles into actions, and from his knowledge of these things
were to dispose all things as he disposes his actions, would he not pervert and destroy
them all? [7] If man knew how the stomach digests, how the surrounding viscera absorb
their own portion, work upon the blood, and distribute it for all the needs of life, and
if he had the disposing of these as he has of external things, such as eating and
drinking, would he not pervert and destroy them all? When he is unable to dispose the
external, which appears to be a single thing, without destroying it by luxury and
intemperance, what would he do if he had the disposition of the internals, which are
infinite in number? Therefore man's internals, lest he should enter into them by the
exercise of his will and gain control of them, are entirely removed from the scope of the
will, with the exception of the muscles which constitute the covering; and, moreover, it
is not known how these act; it is only known that they do act.

[8] It is the same with the other organs; as, for
example, if man had the disposing of the interiors of the eye for seeing, the interiors of
the ear for hearing, the interiors of the tongue for tasting, the interiors of the skin
for feeling, the interiors of the heart for systolic action, the interiors of the lungs
for breathing, the interiors of the mesentery for distributing the chyle, the interiors of
the kidneys for secretion, the interiors of the organs of generation for propagating, the
interiors of the womb for perfecting the embryo, and so on, would he not in innumerable
ways pervert and destroy in them the order of the course of the DivineProvidence? It is known that man is in externals, as, for
example, that he sees with the eye, hears with the ear, tastes with the tongue, feels with
the skin, breathes with the lungs, contributes to propagation, and so on. Is it not enough
for him to know about the externals and to dispose them for the health of body and mind?
When he is unable to do this, what would happen if he also had the disposing of the
internals? Hence it may now be evident that if man saw clearly the DivineProvidence he would interpose in the order and tenor of its
course, and pervert and destroy that order.

Divine Providence 181.

181. It is the same in the spiritual things of the
mind as it is in the natural things of the body, because all things of the mind correspond
to all things of the body. For this reason also the mind actuates the body in externals,
and generally in response to its every suggestion. It moves the eye to see, the ears to
hear, the mouth and tongue to eat and drink, and also to speak, the hands to act, the feet
to walk, the generative organs to propagate. The mind moves not only the externals to
these actions but also the internals throughout the whole series, the last from the inmost
and the inmost from the last. Thus while it is moving the mouth to speak, it at the same
time moves the lungs, the larynx, the glottis, the tongue, the lips, each separately to
its own function, and even the face to present a suitable expression.

[2] Hence it is clear that what was said of the
natural forms of the body may also be said of the spiritual forms of the mind, and that
what was said of the natural operations of the body may also be said of the spiritual
operations of the mind. Consequently, as man disposes the externals so the Lord disposes
the internals; and this He does in one way if man, of himself, disposes the externals, and
in another way if he disposes the externals from the Lord and at the same time as of
himself. Moreover, the mind of man in its entire form is a man; for it is man's spirit,
and this alter death appears a man precisely as in the world; and consequently there are
similar things in both body and mind. So what has been said of the conjunction of
externals with internals in the body is to be understood of the conjunction of externals
with internals in the mind; with this difference only, that the one is natural and the
other is spiritual.

Divine Providence 182.

182. III. IF A MAN SAW CLEARLY THE DIVINEPROVIDENCE HE WOULD EITHER DENY
GOD OR MAKE HIMSELF GOD. The merely natural man says to himself, "What is DivineProvidence? Is it anything else
or more than a phrase that the common people have picked up from the clergy? Who sees
anything of it? Are there not prudence, wisdom, cunning and malice, and are not all things
in the world done from these? Are not the other things that result from these necessities
and consequences, and are there not many more things that happen by chance?
Does the DivineProvidence lie
concealed in these? How can it be in deeds of treachery and cunning? Yet it is maintained
that the DivineProvidence does
all things. Well, then, make it visible to me and I will believe in it. Can anyone believe
in it before he sees it?"

[2] So says the merely natural man; but the spiritual
man speaks differently. Because he acknowledges God, he also acknowledges the DivineProvidence, and moreover he
sees it. However, he cannot make it manifest to anyone whose thoughts are only in nature
and from nature; for such a one cannot raise his mind above nature and see in its
phenomena anything of the DivineProvidence,
or draw conclusions concerning it from the laws of nature, which are also laws of Divine Wisdom. If, therefore, he saw clearly the DivineProvidence he would mingle it
with nature, and so would not only enshroud it with fallacies but would also profane it;
and instead of acknowledging it he would deny it; and he who in his heart denies the DivineProvidence also denies God.

[3] It must be thought that either. God or nature
governs all things. He who thinks that God governs all things thinks that they are
governed by Love itself and Wisdom itself, thus by Life itself. But he who thinks that
nature governs all things thinks that they are governed by natural heat and natural light;
and yet these in themselves are dead, because they are derived from a dead sun. Does not
what is itself living govern what is dead? Can what is dead govern anything? If you think
that what is dead can impart life to itself you are spiritually insane, for life must come
from Life.

Divine Providence 183.

183. It does not appear to be likely that if man saw
clearly the DivineProvidence
and its operation he would deny God; for it would appear that if anyone saw it clearly he
could not but acknowledge it and thus acknowledge God; yet the contrary is the case. The DivineProvidence in no circumstance
acts together with the will's love in man, but constantly acts against it. For man from
his hereditary evil is always panting for the lowest hell; but the Lord by His Providence is continually leading him away and withdrawing him from
it, first to a milder hell, then away from hell, and finally to Himself in heaven. This
operation of the DivineProvidence
is perpetual. Therefore, if man saw clearly or felt this withdrawal or leading away, he
would become angry and, regarding God as his enemy, from the evil of his proprium he would
deny God. Therefore, in order that man may not know this he is kept in a state of freedom,
and consequently he knows no otherwise than that he leads himself.

[2] But examples may serve to illustrate this. Man by
his hereditary nature desires to become great and also to become rich; and in proportion
as these desires are unrestrained he longs to become greater and richer, and at length to
be greatest and richest; nor would he rest here, but would desire to be greater than God
Himself and to possess heaven itself. This inordinate desire lies most deeply concealed in
hereditary evil, and consequently in man's life and in his life's nature. The DivineProvidence does not remove this
evil in a moment; for if it were removed in a moment man would cease to live; but the DivineProvidence removes it quietly
and gradually without man's knowing anything about it. This it does by permitting man to
act according to thought which he rationally adopts. Then by various means, rational,
civil and moral, it leads him away; and he is thus withdrawn as far as he can be led in
freedom. Nor can evil be removed from anyone unless it becomes evident, and is seen and
acknowledged. It is like a wound which does not heal unless it is opened.

[3] If, therefore, man were to know and see that the
Lord, through His DivineProvidence,
operates in this manner against his life's love which is the source of his highest
delight, he could not but go in the opposite direction and, becoming enraged, take action
against it, revile it, and finally from his evil set aside the operation of the DivineProvidence by denying it and
thus denying God. This especially would he do if he saw it as an obstacle to his success,
and if he saw himself cast down from his position of honor and stripped of his wealth.

[4] It should be known, however, that the Lord in no
wise leads man away from seeking honors and acquiring wealth, but that He leads him away
from the inordinate desire of seeking honors for the sake of eminence alone, that is, for
the sake of himself and also from acquiring wealth* for the sake of opulence alone, that
is, for the sake of riches. However, when the Lord leads man away from these He introduces
him into the love of uses, in order that he may regard high position not for his own sake
but for the sake of uses; and thus as belonging to the uses and hence to himself, and not
as belonging to himself and hence to the uses. The same is true of wealth. That the Lord
continually humbles the proud and exalts the humble He Himself teaches in many places in
the Word; and what He there teaches is also of His DivineProvidence.

Divine Providence 184.

184. The same course is followed with other evils in
which man is from heredity, such as adulteries, frauds, revenge, blasphemy, and others of
a like nature; and none of these could be removed unless the liberty to think and will
them were left to man and he from this liberty removed them as of himself. Yet this he
cannot do unless he acknowledges the DivineProvidence and implores that the work may be done by it. Without
this liberty and at the same time the DivineProvidence those evils would be like poison kept in and not
expelled, which would quickly spread and bring death to the whole system; or they would be
like a disease of the heart itself from which the whole body soon dies.

Divine Providence 185.

185. That this is so cannot be better known than from
the case of men after death, in the spiritual world. Most of those there who became great
and wealthy in the natural world, and who in their honors and wealth regarded themselves
alone, at first speak of God and of the DivineProvidence as if they had acknowledged them in their hearts. But as
they now see clearly the DivineProvidence,
and from it their final lot, which is that they are to come into hell, they join the
devils there, and then not only deny but also blaspheme God; finally reaching such a state
of madness that they acknowledge the more powerful of the devils as their gods, and desire
nothing more ardently than that they also should themselves become gods.

Divine Providence 186.

186. If man saw clearly the operations of the DivineProvidence he would go contrary
to God and also deny Him, because man is in the delight of self-love, and this delight
constitutes his very life. Therefore, when he is kept in the delight of his life he is in
his freedom, for freedom and that delight make one. If, therefore, he perceived that he is
constantly being led away from his delight he would be enraged as against one who desired
to destroy his life, and would regard him as an enemy. In order to prevent this the Lord
does not manifestly appear in His DivineProvidence, but by it He leads man as silently as an imperceptible
stream or favoring current bears a vessel along. Consequently, man does not know but that
he is constantly in his own proprium, for man's freedom and his proprium make one. Hence
it is clear that freedom appropriates to man what the DivineProvidence introduces; but this would not take place if the DivineProvidence made itself evident.
To be appropriated is to become part of the life.

Divine Providence 182.

182. III. IF A MAN SAW CLEARLY THE DIVINEPROVIDENCE HE WOULD EITHER DENY
GOD OR MAKE HIMSELF GOD. The merely natural man says to himself, "What is DivineProvidence? Is it anything else
or more than a phrase that the common people have picked up from the clergy? Who sees
anything of it? Are there not prudence, wisdom, cunning and malice, and are not all things
in the world done from these? Are not the other things that result from these necessities
and consequences, and are there not many more things that happen by chance?
Does the DivineProvidence lie
concealed in these? How can it be in deeds of treachery and cunning? Yet it is maintained
that the DivineProvidence does
all things. Well, then, make it visible to me and I will believe in it. Can anyone believe
in it before he sees it?"

[2] So says the merely natural man; but the spiritual
man speaks differently. Because he acknowledges God, he also acknowledges the DivineProvidence, and moreover he
sees it. However, he cannot make it manifest to anyone whose thoughts are only in nature
and from nature; for such a one cannot raise his mind above nature and see in its
phenomena anything of the DivineProvidence,
or draw conclusions concerning it from the laws of nature, which are also laws of Divine Wisdom. If, therefore, he saw clearly the DivineProvidence he would mingle it
with nature, and so would not only enshroud it with fallacies but would also profane it;
and instead of acknowledging it he would deny it; and he who in his heart denies the DivineProvidence also denies God.

[3] It must be thought that either. God or nature
governs all things. He who thinks that God governs all things thinks that they are
governed by Love itself and Wisdom itself, thus by Life itself. But he who thinks that
nature governs all things thinks that they are governed by natural heat and natural light;
and yet these in themselves are dead, because they are derived from a dead sun. Does not
what is itself living govern what is dead? Can what is dead govern anything? If you think
that what is dead can impart life to itself you are spiritually insane, for life must come
from Life.

18. The Divine miracles
which take place to-day are not manifest, but hidden. In the course of their occurrence
there are many happenings which, because they do not appear as miracles, are ascribed to chance, to prudence, or to nature, except by those who acknowledge
the DivineProvidence in every
single event. They are hidden, for the reason already stated, in order that those minds
should not be influenced inopportunely, whose interiors the Lord is preparing for
receiving good and truth; but that they should be in freedom, that is, that they should
receive their faith from an interior affection. That is why the Lord said to Thomas:
'Because thou hast seen Me, Thomas, thou hast believed; blessed are they who do not see,
and yet believe.' (John 20:29.)

Walking once in tranquillity of animus and delightful
peace of mind, I saw in the distance a grove, midway in which was an avenue leading to a
small palace; and I saw maidens and young men and husbands and wives entering therein. In
the spirit, I also went thither, and asked a guard standing at the entrance whether I too
might enter. He looked at me, and I said, "Why do you look at me?" He answered:
"I look at you to see whether the delight of peace which is in your face is in any
way derived from the delight of conjugial love. Behind this avenue is a small garden, and
in its center a house where are two newly married partners, and today their friends of
both sexes are coming to them to wish them happiness. Those whom I admit, I myself do not
know, but I was told that I would know them by their faces; if in their faces I saw the
delight of conjugial love I was to admit, but not others."

All angels can perceive the heart's delights of
others from their faces, and because I was meditating on conjugial love, it was the
delight of that love that he saw in my face; the meditation shone forth from my eyes and
thence entered the interiors of my face. Therefore he told me I might enter.

[2] The avenue by which I entered was an avenue of
fruit trees joined together by their branches, thus forming a continuous wall of trees on
either side. Through this avenue I passed into a small garden which breathed a pleasant
fragrance from its shrubs and flowers. The shrubs and the flowers were in pairs, and I
heard that gardens of this kind appear around houses where there are or have been
weddings, and that they are therefore called nuptial gardens.

I then went into the house and there saw the two
partners holding each other by the hand and conversing together from love truly conjugial;
and it was given me to see from their faces the effigy of conjugial love, and from their
conversation its vitality.

With many others, I offered my congratulations and
wished them happiness, after which I went into the nuptial garden. There, on the right, I
saw a group of young men to which all who came from the house were hastening. The reason
they were all hastening was because the discourse there was about conjugial love, and by
some hidden power such discourse attracts the minds of all. I then heard a wise man
speaking of that love, and what I heard was in brief as follows:

[3] "The Lord's DivineProvidence is most singular and at the same time most
universal in regard to marriages in the heavens, and in the marriages themselves, because
all the happiness of heaven springs from the delights of conjugial love, as sweet waters
from the sweet vein of a fountain. Therefore it is provided by the Lord that conjugial
pairs be born, and that, all unknown to the boy and girl, they be continually educated for
marriage; that in due time, the girl, then a marriageable maiden, and the boy then a young
man fit for entrance into marriage, meet somewhere as if by chance
and see each other; that, as if by instinct, they instantly know that they are mates, and,
as though from a kind of inner dictate, think within themselves, the young man, "She
is mine", and the maiden, "He is mine"; and that after this thought has
dwelt for some time in the minds of both, they deliberately address each other and are
betrothed. It is said, as if by fate and as if by instinct, but what is meant is by DivineProvidence because, when not
known, DivineProvidence has
this appearance."

That conjugial pairs are born, and, unknown to both,
are educated for marriage, this he confirmed by the conjugial similitude visible in the
faces of both; also by their inmost and eternal union, in animus and mind. Unions of this
kind, such as they are in heaven, are not possible unless foreseen and provided by the
Lord.

[4] After the wise man had thus spoken and the
company had applauded, he said further: "There is something conjugial in the very
minutest particulars with man, both male and female; but this conjugial is one thing with
the male and another with the female. In the masculine conjugial there is something
conjunctive with the feminine conjugial, and vice versa, and this in their most single
parts." This he confirmed by the marriage of the will and understanding in each
individual. "These two act together upon the most single parts of the mind, and upon
the most single parts of the body, and from this it can be seen that the conjugial is
present in each individual substance, even the least. This becomes evident from their
compound substances, these being made up of simple substances. Thus there are two eyes,
two ears, two nostrils, two cheeks, two lips, two arms and hands, two loins, two feet; and
within man, two hemispheres of the brain, two ventricles of the heart, two lobes of the
lungs, two kidneys, two testicles; and where the organs are not dual they are yet divided
into two parts. They are two because the one pertains to the will and the other to the
understanding, and these act upon each other so marvelously that they present a one. Thus
the two eyes make one sight, the two ears one hearing, the two nostrils one smell, the two
lips one speech, the two hands one labor, the two feet one walking, the two hemispheres of
the brain one dwelling-place of the mind, the two chambers of the heart one life of the
body by means of the blood, the two lobes of the lungs one respiration, and so on; but the
masculine and feminine when united by love truly conjugial make one life completely
human."

[5] While these words were being spoken, there
appeared on the right, lightning which became red; and on the left, lightning which became
a bright white. Both were mild, and through the eyes they entered into the mind and
enlightened this also. After these lightnings came thunder, being a gentle murmur flowing
down from the angelic heaven and growing louder. Hearing and seeing this, the wise man
said: "This is a sign and admonition to me that I should add these words to my
discourse: The right of those pairs signifies their good, and the left their truth. This
is from the marriage of good and truth which is inscribed on the whole man and on his
every single part; and good harks back to the will, and truth to the understanding, and
both together to a one. It is because of this that in heaven the right eye is the good of
sight, and the left its truth; the right ear the good of hearing, and the left its truth;
the right hand the good of man's power, and the left its truth; and so likewise with the
other pairs. It was because the right and left have these significations that the Lord
said:

If thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out; and if
thy right hand offend thee, cut it off Matt. 5:29, 30. by which He meant that if good
becomes evil, it is to be cast out; and also that He told His Disciples that they should
cast the net on the right side of the ship, and when they did so, they took a great
multitude of fishes (John 21:6, 7), by which He meant that they should teach the good of
charity and thus would gather men."

[6] After these words, the two lightnings were again
seen but milder than before; and it was then seen that the lightning on the left derived
its bright whiteness from the ruddy fire of the lightning on the right. Seeing this, the
wise man said, "This is a sign from heaven confirmatory of what I have said; for in
heaven the fiery is good, and bright white is truth. The sight of the lightning on the
left taking its brightness from the ruddy fire of the lightning on the right is a sign
showing that the bright whiteness of light, or light itself, is nothing else than the
brilliance of fire."

On hearing this, all went home, kindled by those
lightnings and by the discourse concerning them, with the good and truth of gladness.

AC 6481. Spirits
coming into the other life bring with them the opinion that the Divine Providence is
universal, but not in the singulars. The cause of this opinion had been that they had seen
the evil exalted to honors, and become rich, and crowned with success, which such persons
ascribe to their own sagacity; not knowing that the Divine Providence has for its end the
eternal salvation of man, thus not his good fortune in this world, namely, his opulence
and eminence, wherein most persons during the life of the body make happiness itself
consist; when yet the fact is not so, for eminence usually begets the love of self, and
opulence the love of the world, thus what is contrary to love to God and to charity toward
the neighbor. Therefore such things are given to the evil, and also to the good if they
are not unsuitable and do not withdraw them from heaven. Moreover the Lord provides for
His ends through the evil equally as through the good; for the Lord moves the evil through
their very loves to do what is good to the neighbor, to their country, and the church; for
the evil desire to be in eminence, they desire their own advantage, and for the sake of
these things they desire to seem upright and zealous, and from this desire, as from a
fire, they are more strongly moved to do such things than are the well-disposed. It is
also permitted the evil to believe that all things are of their own sagacity, and that
there is no Divine Providence, or only one that is universal. As they are not willing to
perceive otherwise, and in order that they may perform such things as are conducive to the
public good, successes are also given them in accordance with their projects, which
successes are greater incitements to them from the fact that they ascribe them to
themselves.

AC 8478. Let no one make a residue of it till the morning. That this
signifies that they should not be solicitous about acquiring it from themselves, is
evident from the fact that the manna was to be given every morning, and that worms would
be bred in that which was left over, by which is signified that the Lord daily provides
necessaries, and that therefore they ought not to be solicitous about acquiring them from
themselves. This also is meant by the "daily bread" in the Lord's Prayer, and
likewise by the Lord's words in Matthew:

Be not solicitous for your soul, what ye shall eat,
or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on; why are ye solicitous
about things to put on? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not,
neither do they spin: therefore be ye not solicitous, saying, What shall we eat? and what
shall we drink? or, wherewithal shall we be clothed? For after all these things do the
nations seek; doth not your Heavenly Father know that ye have need of all these things?
Seek ye first the kingdom of the heavens, and His righteousness; then shall all these
things be added to you; therefore be ye not solicitous for the morrow, for the morrow will
take care of the things of itself (6:25, 28, 31-34).

In like manner in Luke 12:11, 12, 22-31.

[2] As in this and the following verses in the
internal sense care for the morrow is treated of, and as this care is not only forbidden,
but is also condemned (that it is forbidden is signified by that they were not to make a
residue of the manna till the morning, and that it is condemned is signified by that the
worm was bred in the residue, and it stank), he who looks at the subject no deeper than
from the sense of the letter may believe that all care for the morrow is to be cast aside,
and thus that the necessaries of life are to be awaited daily from heaven; but he who
looks at the subject deeper than from the letter, as for instance he who looks at it from
the internal sense, is able to know what is meant by "care for the morrow." It
does not mean the care of procuring for oneself food and raiment, and even resources for
the time to come; for it is not contrary to order for anyone to be provident for himself
and his own. But those have care for the morrow who are not content with their lot; who do
not trust in the Divine, but in themselves; and who have
regard for only worldly and earthly things, and not for heavenly things. With such there
universally reigns solicitude about things to come, and a desire to possess all things and
to dominate over all, which is kindled and grows according to the additions thus made, and
finally does so beyond all measure. They grieve if they do not obtain the objects of their
desire, and feel anguish at the loss of them; and they have no consolation, because of the
anger they feel against the Divine, which they reject
together with everything of faith, and curse themselves. Such are they who have care for
the morrow.

[3] Very different is the case with those who trust
in the Divine. These, notwithstanding they have care for the
morrow, still have it not, because they do not think of the morrow with solicitude, still
less with anxiety. Unruffled is their spirit whether they obtain the objects of their
desire, or not; and they do not grieve over the loss of them, being content with their
lot. If they become rich, they do not set their hearts on riches; if they are raised to
honors, they do not regard themselves as more worthy than others; if they become poor,
they are not made sad; if their circumstances are mean, they are not dejected. They know
that for those who trust in the Divine all things advance
toward a happy state to eternity, and that whatever befalls them in time is still
conducive thereto.

[4] Be it known that the DivineProvidence is universal, that is, in things the most minute;
and that they who are in the stream of Providence are all the
time carried along toward everything that is happy, whatever may be the appearance of the
means; and that those are in the stream of Providence who put
their trust in the Divine and attribute all things to Him;
and that those are not in the stream of Providence who trust
in themselves alone and attribute all things to themselves, because they are in the
opposite, for they take away providence from the Divine, and claim it for themselves. Be it known also that insofar
as anyone is in the stream of Providence, so far he is in a
state of peace; also that insofar as anyone is in a state of peace from the good of faith,
so far he is in the DivineProvidence.
These alone know and believe that the DivineProvidence of the Lord is in everything both in general and in
particular, nay, is in the most minute things of all (as may be seen shown above, n. 1919,
4329, 5122, 5894, 6058, 6481-6486, 6490, 7004, 7007), and that the DivineProvidence regards what is eternal (n. 6491).

[5] But they who are in the opposite are scarcely
willing to hear Providence mentioned, for they ascribe
everything to their own sagacity; and what they do not ascribe to this they ascribe to
fortune or chance; some to fate, which they do not educe from
the Divine, but from nature. They call those simple who do
not attribute all things to themselves or to nature. From all this again it can be seen
what is the quality of those who have care for the morrow, and what the quality of those
who have no care for the morrow.

AC 6487. When
I was talking with the angels about the Divine Providence of the Lord, there were spirits
also present, who had impressed on themselves some notion about fate or absolute
necessity. They supposed the Lord to act from this necessity, because He cannot proceed
otherwise than according to the most essential things, thus according to the things that
belong to the most perfect order. But they were shown that man has freedom, and that if he
acts from freedom, it is not from necessity. This was illustrated by the case of houses
which are to be built, in that the bricks, mortar, sand, stones serving for foundations
and columns, also timbers and beams, and the like, are brought together not in that order
in which the house is to be constructed, but at pleasure; and that the Lord alone knows
what kind of a house may be built with these materials. All the things which are from the
Lord are most essential; but they do not follow in order from necessity, but in a manner
that is applicable to the freedom of man.

AC 7007. 'And will teach
you the things you will do' means that the Divine will
therefore be within every single thing that is going to happen. This is clear from the
meaning of 'teaching' as flowing in, and when it is used as it is here in reference to the
Divine, as going forth, as above in 6999; and from the
meaning of 'the things you will do' as things that are going to happen. Every single one
is meant because what is said refers to the Divine. Something
must be said here about what is meant by the Divine within
every single thing that happens in a person's life. To man this seems to be altogether
untrue, because he thinks that if the Divine were present in
every single thing that happens no evil deeds would be done and no one would be damned
either, and also that justice would always prevail, the upright would prosper in the world
rather than those who are not upright, and many other conditions like these. But because
they see the opposite of such conditions they do not believe that the Divine is in every single thing. As a consequence they attribute
matters of a specific nature to themselves and their own prudence, and merely general,
overall control to the Divine, calling everything else
fortune and chance, which to them are blind natural forces.

[2] But a person thinks in that kind of way because
he has no knowledge of the arcana of heaven, which are that the Lord leaves each person in
freedom, for unless a person is in freedom he cannot be reformed at all. What a person
does under compulsion does not reform him because compulsion does not allow anything to
take root; for anything a person does under compulsion is not an act of willing, whereas
what he does in freedom is an act of willing. What is good and true, if it is to be
present in a person as his own, must take root in his will. What is outside the will is
not the person's own. And since everyone is for that reason left in freedom people are
allowed to think what is evil and, so far as outward fears do not hold them back, to do
what is evil; and - since everyone is in freedom - those who are not upright rejoice and
glory in the world seemingly more than those who are upright. But the glorying and
rejoicing of those who are not upright is external or of the body and in the next life it
is turned into hellish misery, whereas the glorying and rejoicing of those who are
upright, being internal or of the spirit, remains and becomes heavenly bliss.

[3] Furthermore high rank and wealth bring worldly
but not eternal happiness. This being so, that happiness may be experienced both by those
who are not upright and by those who are upright; and if the upright are denied it, it is
in order that such things may not divert them from what is good. And since a person thinks
that Divine blessings consist in worldly kinds of goodness
and bliss, his weakness leads him into errors about God's providence
when He sees the opposite taking place. He also draws conclusions from present
circumstances as he sees them. He gives no thought to the idea that DivineProvidence has what is eternal in view, working especially to
bring all things into a state of order in heaven, and also in hell, and so to ensure that
heaven will unceasingly resemble a single human being, hell will exist opposite it, and
equilibrium will therefore result. He gives no thought to the idea that these things
cannot be brought about at all except by means of Divineprovidence at work in the most specific details of all, thus unless
the Divine is constantly governing and directing people's
freedom.

[4] For anything further on the subject see what has
been stated and shown already regarding Divineprovidence:

The Lord foresees what is evil and makes provision
for what is good, 5155, 5195, 6489.

The Lord turns evil that He foresees into good, 6574.

Things that happen by chance
are all part of providence, 5508, 6493, 6494.

One's own prudence is like dust thinly distributed in
the air, while providence is, like the entire atmosphere,
6485.

Quite a number of mistaken ideas deny the presence of
Divineprovidence in specific
details, 6481.

AC 6485. I have talked to good spirits about DivineProvidence and about a person's own prudence. They
demonstrated what they had to say on the subject by means of a representation that is a
familiar one among them, dust thinly distributed in the air. They have said that one's own
prudence compared with DivineProvidence
is like that dust and the whole atmosphere. In comparison the dust is nothing; and it also
falls to the ground. The good spirits added that people who attribute everything to their
own prudence are like those who wander in dark forests and do not know the way out; and if
they find it they attribute their success either to their own prudence or to fortune.
Those spirits went on to say that all things which happen by chance
are the work of Providence and that Providence
acts silently and secretly, for very many reasons. If it acted openly, they said, a person
could not possibly be reformed.

AC 6484. There was a certain spirit who had become quite convinced that
nothing was the work of DivineProvidence,
but that every single thing was attributable to prudence, and also to fortune and chance. He asserted the existence of fortune yet did not know what
it was. He was one of the evil spirits who are crafty, for he had spent more time in
thinking than in talking to and mixing with others. When he entered the next life he
continued there the life he had led previously, as everyone usually does. He enquired
after and also learned about everything - including magical devices - which he thought
might be of service to him, in looking out for his own happiness. I talked to him and he
said that he was in his heaven when things were thus, and that no other heaven could
possibly exist than that which he created for himself. But I was led to reply that his
kind of heaven is turned into hell as soon as heaven as it really is flows into it. (That
spirit was at this time in the world of spirits, and when people are there they experience
the joys associated with the loves that ruled them when they were in the world, 5852). It
so happened that at that point heaven flowed into that spirit's joy, and suddenly he had
the feeling of hell. Horrified by it he said that he would never have believed it. Some
good spirits told me that he was more wicked than all the rest, for what flowed from him
had more craftiness in it than what flowed from others.

[2] After this the same spirit was taken back into
the state of his early childhood. The Lord showed the angels what that state had been
like, and also what his future life was foreseen to be like. It was shown that every
specific detail of his life had been subject to the Lord's guidance, and that if it had
not been he would have thrown himself headlong into an utterly horrible hell, that is, if
there had been the smallest lapse in the constant watch kept by the Lord's Providence, as can be demonstrated to the angels in a visual
manner. The spirit was also asked whether he ever thought about eternal life. He said that
he had no belief in it and cast aside everything of the kind, for the reason that he saw
so much confusion, the suffering of the righteous and boasting of the wicked, and the
like. He also saw, he said, that animals have senses similar to men's, and similar life,
as well as powers of observation and prudence. So his belief was that when he died he
would be like them. He went on to say that he was utterly amazed when he realized that he
was alive after death.

AC 5508. 'And they pointed out to him all that was happening to them
means reflection by the good of that truth on what was provided up to then. This is clear
from the meaning of 'pointing out' as thought and reflection, dealt with in 2861, for what
is pointed out to someone is thought based on reflection; and from the meaning of 'all
that was happening to them' as what was providential or provided, dealt with below. The
reason why it is the good of truth that reflects is that the one to whom 'they pointed
out' was Jacob their father, who represents the good of truth, 5506. The reflection did
not originate in the truths represented by 'the sons of Jacob', as the sense of the letter
implies, for the reason that all reflection and thought based on it which take place in
what is lower or more external begin in what is higher or more internal, though they
appear to begin in what is lower or more external. And because the good of truth, which
'Jacob' represents, is more internal, reflection by the good of truth is therefore meant.

[2] The reason 'what is happening' means what is
providential or has been provided is that every happening or contingency which is
otherwise described as fortuitous and attributed to chance or
luck is something providential. DivineProvidence
does its work out of sight and in ways beyond comprehension, for the reason that a person
may be able in freedom to attribute that work either to providence
or else to chance. For if providence
performed its acts in seen and comprehensible ways the dangerous condition would then
exist in which a person would first believe, because of what he has seen and comprehended,
that those acts were providential, but after that would move away into a contrary belief.
In that case truth and falsity would then be joined together in his interior man and the
truth would be rendered profane - a condition that holds eternal damnation within it. The
retention therefore of a person such as this in a state of disbelief is preferable to his
having faith at one point and then departing from it.

[3] This condition is meant in Isaiah,

Say to this people, Hearing, hear- but do not
understand; and seeing, see - but do not comprehend. Make the heart of this people fat and
their ears heavy, and plaster over their eyes, lest they see with their eyes and hear with
their ears, and their heart understands, and they turn again and are healed. Isa. 6:9, 10;
John 12:40.

This also explains why miracles do not take place at
the present day. For as with everything else that is seen and comprehensible, miracles
would compel a person to believe; and anything that compels takes freedom away. But the
whole of a person's reformation and regeneration takes place while he is in freedom;
nothing implanted in him if he is not in freedom remains fixed in him. Things are
implanted in freedom if an affection for goodness and truth are present in the person,
1937,1947, 2744, 2870-2893, 3145, 3146, 3158, 4401.

[4] The reason why great miracles occurred among the
descendants of Jacob was that they were compelled by those miracles to fulfill in their
outward form the religious laws they were given; for no more than this was required of
those limited to representatives of the Church. With those people things of an external
nature were separated from internal ones, which was why they could not undergo any
interior reformation. They completely rejected things of an internal nature and were
therefore unable to render truths profane, 3398, 3399, 3479, 4680. Such people could be
subjected to compulsion without any danger of their profaning what was holy.

[5] People of today ought to believe what they do not
see, as is also clear from the Lord's words to Thomas, in John,

Because you have seen Me, Thomas, you have believed;
blessed are those who do not see and yet believe. John 20:29.

The truth that contingencies which are otherwise
attributed to chance or luck are due to DivineProvidence is indeed accepted by the Church; yet there is no
real belief in it. Who does not say that God has saved him, who does not give thanks to
God when, seemingly by good fortune, he gets out of some great danger? Also, when he is
promoted to important positions or comes into wealth, does he not also call this a
blessing received from God? Thus the member of the Church accepts that all contingencies
are attributable to providence, even though he does not
really believe this. But more on these matters will in the Lord's Divine
mercy be presented elsewhere.

AC 5179. I once observed an anxious feeling in the lower part of the
stomach, from which it was evident to me that such spirits were present. I spoke with
them, and said that they should go away, because their sphere induced anxiety and did not
agree with the spheres of the spirits who were with me. I then discoursed with them about
spheres, saying that there are very many spiritual spheres about man, and that men do not
know nor desire to know that such is the case, because they deny all that which is called
spiritual, and some whatever is not seen and touched; thus that certain spheres from the
spiritual world encompass man, agreeing with his life, and that by means of them man is in
company with spirits of similar affection, and that many things take place thereby which
the man who attributes all things to nature either denies or ascribes to a more occult
nature-as for example that which is ascribed to fortune; for by their experience some
persons are fully persuaded that something called fortune is secretly at work, but they
know not what is the source of it. That this hidden something is from a spiritual sphere,
and is the ultimate of Providence, will of the Lord's Divine mercy be shown elsewhere,
from what has been attested by experience.

AC 6493. I have often spoken with spirits about fortune, which in the
world appears like chance, because men know not whence it is; and because they do not know
this, some deny that there is such a thing. When something happened to me which seemed to
be by chance, I was told by the angels that it had happened because spirits of that kind
were present; and that when it was a mischance, the sphere of spirits of a corresponding
kind had prevailed. Moreover evil spirits have found out how to produce by their arts a
sphere giving rise to misfortunes, which appeared exactly as if of chance. And it was
further said that all things, nay, the leasts of all things, down to the leasts of the
leasts, are directed by the Providence of the Lord, even as to the very steps; and when
such a sphere prevails as is contrary thereto, misfortunes happen. They also confirmed the
fact that there is no such thing as chance, and that apparent accident, or fortune, is
Providence in the ultimate of order, in which all things are comparatively inconstant.

AC 6494. For a number of years I have carefully observed whether fortune
is anything, and I have found that it is, and that sagacity then availed nothing. Moreover
all who have long reflected on this subject, know and confess this, but they do not know
whence it is: scarcely anyone knows that it is from the spiritual world, when yet this is
the source of it. I once played in company a common game of chance with dice, and the
spirits who were with me spoke to me about fortune in games, and said that what is
fortunate was represented to them by a bright cloud, and what is unfortunate by a dusky
cloud; and that when a dusky cloud appeared with me, it was impossible for me to win;
moreover by this sign they predicted to me the turns of fortune in that game. From this it
was given me to know that what is attributed to fortune, even in games, is from the
spiritual world; much more that which befalls man in relation to the vicissitudes in the
course of his life; and that what is called fortune is from the influx of Providence in
the ultimates of order, where it so comes forth; thus that Providence is in the veriest
singulars of all things, according to the Lord's words, that not even a hair falls from
the head without the will of God.

AC 9010. But God caused it to happen to his hand. That this signifies
appearing as of chance, is evident from the idea concerning chance among the ancients,
which was that it happened from God; and therefore they expressed the idea of chance by
the phrase, "God caused it to happen to the hand." For they who were of the
ancient churches knew that the Providence of the Lord is in each and all things, and that
things which happen, that is, which appear as of chance, were of Providence. Wherefore the
simple, who could not distinguish between the things which were of permission, and those
which were of good pleasure, attributed to the Lord both good and evil; good because they
knew that all good is from Him; and evil by reason of the appearance. For when a man does
evils, and thereby turns himself away from the Lord, it appears as if the Lord turns
Himself away; for the Lord then appears to him behind, and not in front. From this then it
is that if anyone smote another by chance, thus without will from foresight, it was
expressed by the words, "God caused it to happen to the hand." (That the
Providence of the Lord is in each and all things, has been already shown, see n. 1919,
4329, 5122, 5155, 5195, 5894, 6058, 6481-6487, 6489, 6491, 7004, 7007, 8478, 8717; also
that things which happen, or are of chance, are of Providence, n. 5508, 6493, 6494; and
that evil is attributed to the Lord, when yet it is from man, n. 2447, 5798, 6071, 6832,
6991, 6997, 7533, 7877, 7926, 8197, 8227, 8228, 8282, 8284, 8483, 8632.)

AC 5508. And told him all that had befallen them. That this signifies
reflection from the good of that truth upon the things hitherto provided, is evident from
the signification of "telling," as being to think and reflect (see n. 2862), for
what is told anyone is thought of from reflection; and from the signification of "all
that had befallen," as being what is of providence, or what is provided (of which in
what follows). The reason why the reflection was from the good of truth is that they told
Jacob their father, by whom the good of truth is represented (n. 5506). The reason why the
reflection was not from the truths represented by the sons of Jacob, as the sense of the
letter implies, is that all the reflection and thence thought that the lower or exterior
has, comes from the higher or interior, although it appears to come from the lower or
exterior; and as the good of truth that Jacob represents is interior, therefore reflection
from the good of truth is signified.

[2] That the things which befell them are things of
providence or things provided, is because everything that befalls or happens, which in
other words is called accidental, and is ascribed to chance or fortune, is of providence.
Divine providence works thus invisibly and incomprehensibly in order that man may in
freedom ascribe an event either to providence or to chance; for if providence acted
visibly and comprehensibly, there would be danger of man's believing, from what he sees
and comprehends, that it is of providence, and afterward changing into the contrary. Thus
truth and falsity would be conjoined in the interior man, and truth would be profaned,
which profanation is attended with eternal damnation. Therefore it is better for such a
man to be kept in unbelief than to be in faith and then recede from it.

[3] This is what is meant in Isaiah:

Say to this people, Hearing hear ye, but understand
not; and seeing see ye, and know not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their
ears heavy, and besmear their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their
ears, and their heart should understand, and they should turn again, and be healed (Isa.
6:9-10; John 12:40). It is for this reason also that miracles are not wrought at this day,
for these, like all visible and comprehensible things, would compel men to believe, and
whatever compels takes away freedom; when yet all the reformation and regeneration of man
is effected in his freedom. That which is not implanted in freedom does not stay. It is
implanted in freedom when the man is in the affection of good and truth (see n. 1937,
1947, 2744, 2870-2893, 3145, 3146, 3158, 4031).

[4] That miracles so great were wrought among the
posterity of Jacob was for the sake of their being compelled to observe the statutes in
their outward form; for this was sufficient for those who, being only in the
representatives of a church, were in external things separate from internal, and therefore
could not be reformed as to the interiors; for they entirely rejected interior things, and
therefore they could not profane truths (n. 3147, 3398, 3399, 3480, 4680). Men like these
could be compelled without danger of profaning what is holy.

[5] That man at this day ought to believe what he
does not see, is evident from the Lord's words to Thomas, in John:

Because thou hast seen Me, Thomas, thou hast
believed: blessed are they who do not see, and yet believe (John 20:29).

That the things which happen (in other words which
are ascribed to chance or fortune) are of the Divine providence, the church indeed
acknowledges, but still does not believe; for who does not say, when apparently by chance
he comes out of some great peril, that he has been preserved by God, and also gives God
thanks? And likewise when he is exalted to honors, and also when he becomes wealthy, he
calls it a blessing from God. Thus the man of the church acknowledges that what happens is
of providence, but still does not believe. But on this subject, of the Lord's Divine mercy
more will be said elsewhere.

AC 6493. I have often spoken with spirits about fortune, which in the
world appears like chance, because men know not whence it is; and because they do not know
this, some deny that there is such a thing. When something happened to me which seemed to
be by chance, I was told by the angels that it had happened because spirits of that kind
were present; and that when it was a mischance, the sphere of spirits of a corresponding
kind had prevailed. Moreover evil spirits have found out how to produce by their arts a
sphere giving rise to misfortunes, which appeared exactly as if of chance. And it was
further said that all things, nay, the leasts of all things, down to the leasts of the
leasts, are directed by the Providence of the Lord, even as to the very steps; and when
such a sphere prevails as is contrary thereto, misfortunes happen. They also confirmed the
fact that there is no such thing as chance, and that apparent accident, or fortune, is
Providence in the ultimate of order, in which all things are comparatively inconstant.

Divine
Providence 175. 5. IT IS A LAW OF THE DIVINE PROVIDENCE THAT MAN SHOULD NOT PERCEIVE
AND FEEL ANYTHING OF THE OPERATION OF THE DIVINE PROVIDENCE, BUT STILL THAT HE SHOULD KNOW
AND ACKNOWLEDGE IT.

The natural man who does not believe in Divine
Providence thinks within himself, "What is Divine Providence when the wicked are
advanced to honors and acquire wealth more than the good, and when many such things fall
to those who do not believe in a Divine Providence beyond the lot of those who do? Indeed,
the unbelieving and the impious can inflict injuries, loss, misfortunes, and sometimes
death, upon the believing and the pious, and this by cunning and malice." Therefore
he thinks, "Do I not see from actual experience as in clear daylight that crafty
devices, if only a man by skillful cunning can make them appear to be trustworthy and
just, prevail over fidelity and justice? What, then, is left but necessities, consequences
and things of chance, in which nothing of Divine Providence appears? Do not necessities
belong to nature? Are not consequences causes flowing out from natural or civil order? And
do not things of chance come from causes which are not known, or from no cause at
all?" Such are the thoughts of the natural man who ascribes nothing to God but all
things to nature; for he that attributes nothing to God attributes nothing to the Divine
Providence, since God and the Divine Providence make one.

[2] The spiritual man, on the other hand, speaks and
thinks within himself quite differently. Although he has no perception in his thought, and
is not sensible by his eyesight, of the Divine Providence in its course, still he knows
and acknowledges it. Now since the appearances and consequent fallacies mentioned above
have blinded the understanding, and this can receive no sight unless the fallacies which
induced the blindness and the falsities which induced the darkness are dispelled, and
since this cannot be done except by truths which have in them the power of dispelling
falsities, therefore these truths shall be disclosed; and for the sake of distinctness
this shall be done in the following order:

I. If a man perceived and felt the operation of the
Divine Providence he would not act from freedom according to reason; nor would anything
appear to him to be as from himself. It would be the same if he foreknew events. II. If
man saw clearly the Divine Providence he would interpose in the order and tenor of its
course, and would pervert and destroy that order. III. If man saw clearly the Divine
Providence he would either deny God or make himself God. IV. It is granted to man to see
the Divine Providence in the back and not in the face; and this in a spiritual state and
not in a natural state.

It is a fact beyond doubt that the Lord governs the
universe, and this government is called Providence. But because evils are not provided,
but foreseen,* so also are permissions. But to make it understood how this matter stands:
foresight pertains to evils, and providence is the disposal of evils toward good outcomes.

However, there is no such thing as chance, that is,
evil happening by chance, but all evils are controlled in a way that not a single one of
them is permitted to happen to a person on earth or to a soul that does not lead to good.
Furthermore, nothing is permitted to happen that has not been foreseen, for otherwise it
cannot happen.

Consequently, all evils are bent in such a way that
just those, and not any others, do happen, because it cannot be helped in view of the so
corrupt state [of mankind].

So it is providence alone that governs, for foresight
is thus turned into Providence, and then those evils are provided which result in good. If
the evils planned by evil spirits were permitted, it would be to the destruction of
mankind and of [departed] souls. Therefore the doings intended by the wicked are limited
to the kind that have to be permitted. 1748, 29 February. * The Latin is, alliteratively,
non provisa sunt, sed praevisa.

Divine
Providence 70. THERE ARE LAWS OF THE DIVINE PROVIDENCE, AND THESE ARE UNKNOWN TO MEN

It is well known that there is a Divine Providence,
but it is not known what its nature is. This is not known because the laws of the Divine
Providence are interior truths, hitherto concealed within the wisdom of the angels; but
they are now to be revealed in order that what belongs to the Lord may be ascribed to Him,
and what does not belong to man may not be ascribed to any man. For very many in the world
attribute all things to themselves and their own prudence; and what they cannot so ascribe
they call accidental or happening by chance, not knowing that human prudence is nothing
and that accidental and happening by chance are empty words.

[2] It is said that the laws of the Divine Providence
are interior truths, hitherto concealed within the wisdom of the angels. This is because
in the Christian world, as far as religion is concerned (ex religione), the understanding
has been closed in respect to Divine things, and consequently has become in such things so
dull and resisting that man has not been able because he has not been willing, or has not
been willing because he has not been able, to understand anything about the Divine
Providence except the fact that it exists, and to reason whether it exists or not, and
also whether it is only universal or also particular. When, so far as religion is
concerned, the understanding has been closed in respect to Divine things, it could advance
no further.

[3] Since it has been acknowledged in the Church that
man is unable from himself to do good that is in itself good, and is unable from himself
to think truth that is in itself truth, and since these are one with the Divine Providence
so that belief in one depends on belief in the other, therefore, lest one be affirmed and
the other be denied and thus both perish, it must be explicitly revealed what the Divine
Providence is. This, however, cannot be revealed unless the laws are disclosed by which
the Lord provides and rules the things of man's will and understanding; for these laws
enable man to know the nature of the Divine Providence; and only he who knows its nature
can acknowledge it, for in this case he sees it. For this reason the laws of the Divine
Providence, hitherto concealed within the wisdom of the angels, are now revealed.

Spiritual
Experiences. 4567. CONCERNING FORTUNE. INFLUX. (((Once upon a time, I played a game of
chance with a certain person; and then the spirits around me thought concerning chance or
accidental circumstances; and they said that good-luck was represented to them by a bright
cloud, and ill-luck by a black one; they said, also, that they had, at that time, a
perception that he with whom was the blackish cloud could by no means win the game, but he
with whom was the bright cloud - which also happened. They asserted this, and apprehended
whence came accidental circumstances, to wit, that [they are] from the Providence of the
Lord and His influx into the ultimates of order, where it thus appears; and that such a
thing could by no means exist, unless the Providence of the Lord were in the minutest
particulars of all things.)))

4567a. CONCERNING THE SPEECH OF ANGELIC SPIRITS.

Several times, in sleep, there appeared to me
representatives accompanied by perception, and this for a long time; and, at the time, I
plainly understood what I was thinking and speaking. But, as soon as I had waked, I could
not recall what it was, because it appeared imperceptible and inexpressible, as, also, to
the sense of the body and thence to perception, for the most part, it was. During this
night, there appeared to me, in like manner, as it were a certain something approaching to
the form of an arm, then to that of a thick stick, and this for a long time; and I then
continually reflected, from various points of view, concerning absolute power in kingdoms;
and, afterwards, the arm, or that stick, was more densely fibrated and compacted, and I
then considered that this was not an orderly state of things, and consequently, that power
ought not to be absolute, but limited by laws. From this it was apparent, that the
representatives of power were in the place of a foundation, whereupon was supported a
perceptive thought for these things - concerning which I then [reflected] and so in other
matters. It was also perceived that there is such a language with man, as to interior
thought - whereof he is ignorant - and that he comes into it after the life of the body,
and that innumerable things can be expressed and comprehended thereby, which can in no way
be expressed by the speech of the body.

Divine
Providence 182. III. IF A MAN SAW CLEARLY THE DIVINE PROVIDENCE HE WOULD EITHER DENY
GOD OR MAKE HIMSELF GOD.

The merely natural man says to himself, "What is
Divine Providence? Is it anything else or more than a phrase that the common people have
picked up from the clergy? Who sees anything of it? Are there not prudence, wisdom,
cunning and malice, and are not all things in the world done from these? Are not the other
things that result from these necessities and consequences, and are there not many more
things that happen by chance? Does the Divine Providence lie concealed in these? How can
it be in deeds of treachery and cunning? Yet it is maintained that the Divine Providence
does all things. Well, then, make it visible to me and I will believe in it. Can anyone
believe in it before he sees it?"

[2] So says the merely natural man; but the spiritual
man speaks differently. Because he acknowledges God, he also acknowledges the Divine
Providence, and moreover he sees it. However, he cannot make it manifest to anyone whose
thoughts are only in nature and from nature; for such a one cannot raise his mind above
nature and see in its phenomena anything of the Divine Providence, or draw conclusions
concerning it from the laws of nature, which are also laws of Divine Wisdom. If,
therefore, he saw clearly the Divine Providence he would mingle it with nature, and so
would not only enshroud it with fallacies but would also profane it; and instead of
acknowledging it he would deny it; and he who in his heart denies the Divine Providence
also denies God.

[3] It must be thought that either. God or nature
governs all things. He who thinks that God governs all things thinks that they are
governed by Love itself and Wisdom itself, thus by Life itself. But he who thinks that
nature governs all things thinks that they are governed by natural heat and natural light;
and yet these in themselves are dead, because they are derived from a dead sun. Does not
what is itself living govern what is dead? Can what is dead govern anything? If you think
that what is dead can impart life to itself you are spiritually insane, for life must come
from Life.

I would be delighted to know your reactions. Please email me leon@hawaii.edu